Adjustable differential pressure valve

ABSTRACT

An adjustable differential pressure valve that controls the pressure of a input fluid by maintaining a pressure differential between the fluid and another fluid, or fluids, of reference pressure, acts as a bypass valve and allows the pressure differential to be adjusted from the outside of the valve either mechanically or by remote hydraulic pressure. In an alternative embodiment of the invention, opposite ends of extensions of the piston are exposed to the outlet pressure of the valve by a passage communicating directly through the extensions and the piston.

RELATED APPLICATION

This is a continuation-in-part of application Ser. No. 851,094 filed Mar. 13, 1992 now U.S. Pat. No. 5,193,575 and entitled "Adjustable Differential Pressure Valve".

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to pressure regulators in general and in particular to a pressure regulator that can adjust the pressure differential from the outside of the valve either mechanically or hydraulically from a remote source.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Pressure regulator valves are commonly used to control the pressure of fluids supplied to various devices such as natural gas to gas fired appliances such as water heaters, furnaces and the like. One common type of pressure regulator employs a modulating valve controlled by a diaphragm responsive to fluid pressure, the diaphragm being biased by a spring which opposes the force exerted by the pressurized fluid and thus controls the action of the diaphragm. Other valves control the pressure of a fluid to maintain a pressure differential between that fluid and another fluid of reference pressure.

In all of these valves, the valves are either very complicated and have variable adjustments to select a predetermined pressure differential or are simple but have fixed components which cannot be altered or which must be altered by taking the valve apart and adjusting a component thereof.

The present invention overcomes the disadvantages of the prior art by providing a valve which controls the pressure of an input fluid by maintaining a pressure differential between that fluid and another fluid or fluids of reference pressure. It also acts as a bypass valve and allows the pressure differential to be adjusted external to the valve either mechanically or hydraulically from a remote source.

In the present invention, a piston divides an enclosed hollow body into first and second fluid-tight chambers. In one chamber is an input and an output orifice for a fluid whose pressure is to be regulated. An extension is connected to the piston in the first chamber for selectively opening and closing the output fluid orifice upon movement of the piston. A reference fluid input orifice and an adjustable pressure spring are formed in the second chamber in contact with the piston such that when the combined pressure of the reference fluid and the spring on one side of the piston exceeds the pressure of the input fluid on the other side of the piston, the output orifice closes, and when the pressure of the input fluid on one side of the piston exceeds the combined pressure of the reference fluid and the spring on the other side of the piston, the output orifice opens, thus bypassing the input fluid at a predetermined pressure. An elongated projection is threadedly inserted in an opening in the second chamber and is in contact with the spring, which contacts the piston, to vary the pressure of the spring on the piston and the pressure at which the output fluid orifice will open. Thus, when the elongated projection is mechanically threaded into or out of the second chamber, it increases or decreases the pressure on the piston through the spring to vary the pressure at which the output orifice in the first chamber will open.

In a first embodiment of the invention, the elongated projection also has an orifice therein and a second extension on the piston in the second chamber sealably extends partially into the hollow orifice. If it is desired to control the differential valve from a 10 remote location, a hydraulic fluid is coupled to the opening in the elongated projection and a fluid of desired pressure is supplied thereto which engages the second extension of the piston thus applying force to the extension, and the piston, to vary the point at which the output orifice in the first chamber will open. In at least one use of the invention, the remote location is at a connection to the bypass fluid from the outlet orifice. By connecting the outlet fluid pressure to the end surface of the second extension, the end area of the two extensions are effectively pressure balanced.

Thus it is an object of the present invention to provide a valve which controls the pressure of an input fluid by maintaining a pressure differential between that fluid and another fluid of reference pressure.

It is also an object of the present invention to provide a valve which acts as a bypass valve when the input fluid exceeds a reference pressure.

It is another important object of the present invention to provide a valve in which the pressure differential can be adjusted from the outside of the valve either mechanically or remotely by varying a hydraulic pressure to the valve.

It is also an object of the present invention to provide a differential pressure valve in which a reference pressure is supplied by both a reference fluid and a spring acting on a piston such that the pressure can be varied by externally varying the pressure applied to the spring which varies the pressure applied to the piston.

In an alternative embodiment, it is a more detailed object of the present invention to simplify the construction of the fluid connection between the bypass fluid and the end surface of the second connection and to improve the overall accuracy of the pressure balancing of the end areas of the two extensions.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Thus the present invention relates to a pressure differential valve comprising an enclosed hollow body, a piston in the hollow body dividing the body into first and second fluid-tight chambers, and an input and an output fluid orifice in the first chamber, a first extension on the piston for selectively opening and closing the output fluid orifice, and a reference fluid input orifice and an adjustable pressure spring in the second chamber in contact with, the piston such that when the combined pressure of the reference fluid and the spring on one side of the piston exceeds the pressure of the input fluid on the other side of the piston, the output orifice closes, and when the pressure of the input fluid on the piston exceeds the combined pressure of the reference fluid and the spring on the piston, the output orifice opens. In the alternative embodiment, outlet fluid pressure directly adjacent the output orifice is communicated to the end surface of a second extension on the piston by a passage extending from an opening in the end surface of the first extension completely through the first extension, the piston and the second extension to an outlet in the end surface of the second extension so as to provide an effective and accurate pressure balancing of the two end areas of the extensions.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

These and other objects of the present invention will be more fully disclosed when taken in conjunction with the following detailed specification and the drawings in which like numerals represent like elements and in which:

FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view of the valve in its closed position;

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the valve in its open position when the input pressure exceeds the 10 reference pressure; and

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view similar to FIG. 2 showing an alternative embodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

As can be seen in a first embodiment of the invention disclosed in FIG. 1, the valve 10 comprises a hollow body 12 having end covers 14 and 16 sealing each open end of the housing. The end cover 14 may be attached to the housing 12 by means of bolts 18 and 20 and end cap or cover 16 may be attached to the other end of the housing 12 by means such as bolts 22 and 24. A piston 26 in the housing 12 separates the housing 12 into first and second chambers 28 and 30. Seal 34 on the piston 26 separates the chambers 28 and 30 in a fluid-tight relationship. The seal 34 may actually be a single O-ring which goes around the periphery of the piston 26 in contact with the interior of housing 12. An input pressure orifice 36 and an output pressure orifice 38 are formed in the first chamber 28. A variable reference pressure orifice 40 and an adjustable spring 42 are located in the second chamber 30. An elongated extension 44 extending from piston 26 in the first chamber 28 sealably contacts a sealing member 46 in the end cover 14 such that when the combined reference pressure applied to orifice 40 and the pressure of spring 42 exceeds the input fluid pressure applied to orifice 36, the piston 26 is moved to the left in FIG. 1 and the extension 44 mates with the seal member 46 to close the output orifice 38. Seal member 46 has sloping shoulders 50 that match with sloping shoulders 48 on the projection 44 of piston 26.

When the input fluid pressure in orifice 36 exceeds the combined reference fluid pressure in orifice 40 and the pressure of spring 42, piston 26 moves to the right thus opening the output orifice 38 and bypassing fluid through the valve 10. In order to adjust the pressure at which the output orifice 38 is opened and closed, the pressure of spring 42 is adjusted external to the housing 12 through opening 52 extending into the second chamber 30 in the wall 16. An elongated body 54 is threadedly inserted in the opening 52 in the end wall 16 with a base 56 that is in contact with spring 42. A stem 58 extending from piston 26 on the inside of spring 42 in second chamber 30 is sealably and slideably inserted in an opening 60 in the elongated body 54. Since the body 54 has threads 62 thereon it can be threaded into or out of the end cover 16, thus increasing or decreasing the pressure on spring 42 by compressing it more or less. The total pressure of the spring 42 when combined with the reference pressure in orifice 40 can be varied by changing the pressure on spring 42 thus setting the pressure at which the output orifice 38 will be opened and closed. An orifice 64 is also formed in the elongated body 54 such that it is in fluid contact with the top 66 of the extension 58 from the piston 26. Therefore, by coupling the orifice 64 to a remote pressure source, the pressure on the top 66 of stem 58 and, thus, piston 26 can be varied. The pressure at which the differential valve will open or close, therefore, can be varied remotely. It will be noted that seal 68 maintains the elongated body 54 in a fluid-tight relationship with the end cover 16. In like manner, seals 70 maintain the extension 58 of piston 26 in fluid-tight relationship with the chamber 60 of the elongated body 54.

As can be seen in FIG. 1, with a reference pressure in orifice 40 and the spring pressure 42 preset and/or any remote fluid pressure coupled to orifice 64, the piston 26 has moved to the left and seals the output orifice 38 such that input fluid on orifice 36 cannot pass through the valve. However, as illustrated in FIG. 2, when the input pressure in orifice 36 exceeds the reference pressure in orifice 40 and the pressure of spring 42 and any remote pressure in orifice 64, the piston 26 moves to the right, thus opening the output orifice 38 and allowing the fluid at input orifice 36 to bypass through the valve 10. As can be seen in FIG. 2, the stem 58 on piston 26 has moved to the right into the hollow chamber 60 in the elongated body 54.

In the first preferred embodiment, the pressure area 72 of piston 26 in the first chamber 28 and the pressure area 74 of the piston 26 in the chamber 30 are equal so that only the fluid pressure differential is balanced by the force due to the spring 42. However, the areas 72 and 74 on the piston 26 are not required to be the same as shown on FIG. 1 and FIG. 2 and the ratio of one area to the other may vary to determine the amount of the spring pressure necessary to balance the pressure differential. By turning the adjusting device 54, the length of the spring 42 is reduced or increased and, thus, the force produced by the spring 42 is increased or decreased. In like manner, increasing or decreasing the fluid pressure in orifice 64 also may be used as a force to balance a pressure differential from a remote location. By measuring the amount of the elongated body 54 that projects from the end cover 16, an accurate spring force can be calculated.

Thus, in this first embodiment there has been disclosed a novel pressure differential valve which (1) controls the pressure of an input fluid by maintaining a pressure differential between the input fluid and another fluid or fluids of reference pressure, (2) acts as a bypass valve, and (3) allows the pressure differential to be adjusted from the outside of the valve either mechanically or hydraulically from a remote location.

Since different types of gases may be regulated by the valve where one gas is commonly supplied at a much lower pressure than the other, it is normally necessary to employ a different regulator for each type of gas or to provide a regulator which is convertible for use with either type. The present valve can be used with various types of gases or fluids. Further, the fluids may be oil and a gas such as nitrogen, air or carbon dioxide.

In accordance with an important feature of an alternate embodiment of the present invention as is illustrated in FIG. 3 (and identified by the same but primed reference numbers as are used in the first described embodiment), the opposite ends of the piston extensions 44' and 58' are pressure balanced relative to each other utilizing the outlet pressure fluid of the valve 10' by communicating the outlet pressure directly through the two extensions and the piston to the chamber 60'. Advantageously, this direct connection avoids the need for a separate external conduit between the outlet 38' and the chamber 60 and insures that the opposing pressure areas of the two extensions are exposed to substantially identical pressures. Moveover, the elimination of potential fluid leakage into the environment from between the adjusting device 54' and the balance pressure is assured by virtue of the chamber 60' being closed off within the valve housing 12'.

In the present instance, an axially extending passage 82 begins at the bottom end 67 of the extension 44' and extends therethrough, through the piston 72' and opens from the top 66 of the stem 58 hollow chamber 60'. The relative diameters of the passage 82 and the opposite top and bottom end areas 66' and 67' of the two extensions are such that the two end areas of the extensions which are exposed to outlet fluid pressure are the same, particularly when the output orifice 38' is closing so that the valve functions without substantial fluctuation. In this second embodiment of the invention, the chamber 60' in the spring pressure adjustment device 54' is closed to communication exteriorly of the valve. Thus, the outer end 63 of the adjustment screw is freely accessible for adjusting the pressure to be applied by the spring against the piston pressure area 74'. Even in the absence of the adjustment screw 54', it is to be appreciated the communication of the passage 82 directly through the extensions 44' and 58' and the piston provides an advantage in assuring that the opposite ends 66' and 67 of the extension are exposed to essentially the same fluid pressures with a minimum of losses occurring through the connecting passage.

While the invention has been described in connection with alternative preferred embodiments, it is not intended to limit the scope of the invention to the particular form set forth, but, on the contrary, it is intended to cover such alternatives, modifications, and equivalents as may be included within the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims. 

We claim:
 1. A pressure differential valve comprising an enclosed hollow body; a piston in the hollow body dividing the body into first and second fluid-tight chambers; an input and an output fluid orifice in the first chamber; a first extention on the piston and having a first end surface for selectively opening and closing the output fluid orifice; a reference fluid input orifice and an externally adjustable pressure spring in the second chamber in contact with the piston such that when the combined pressure of the reference fluid and the externally adjusted spring on the piston exceed the pressure of the input fluid on the piston, the output fluid orifice closes and when the pressure of the input fluid on the piston exceeds the combined pressure of the reference fluid and the spring on the piston, the output fluid orifice opens; a second extension on the piston protruding into said second chamber; a hollow formed in said housing and adjacent said second chamber opposite said piston; a second end surface on said second extension sealably received in said hollow; and a fluid passage communicating between said first and second end surfaces through said first extension, said piston and said second extension such that said first and second surfaces are exposed to substantially the same fluid pressure to provide pressure balancing between said first and second chambers.
 2. A pressure differential valve as defined by claim 1 including a threaded opening in the second chamber; an elongated projection threadedly inserted in the opening into the second chamber and in contact with the spring to vary the pressure of the spring on the piston and the pressure at which the output fluid orifice will open by selectively threading the projection into and out of the opening; said hollow being formed in said projection. 